Research Methods Matrix

Associate Level Material Appendix B Research Methods Matrix A psychologist is planning to conduct a study that would examine pathological liars and the quality of their romantic relationships. You have been asked to provide the psychologist with a recommendation for which research method should be used to gather data on the pathological liars and their spouses. Using the table below list each research method and its advantages and disadvantages for use in this study. Research Method |Advantages |Disadvantages | |Naturalistic Observation |This method gives good information that is |The person observing could change the | | |more so accurate than reports done |behavior of the participant, and observer | | |afterwards.
The behaviors of the |could also have a biased view depending | | |participants are more natural because they |upon what the expectations were coming in | | |are in their natural environment. |to research. | |Case Studies |Good for forming hypotheses, and gives a |This was can be expensive as well as time | | |large amount of useful, descriptive |consuming.
Again, the biased observed is | | |information. |an issue. | |Surveys |A cheap way to quickly gather a large |If a question is worded poorly on the | | |quantity of data. |survey, it can yield the type of answers | | | |that the observers do not want. They can | | |also be untruthful answers. | |Correlational Research |This method can allow researchers to be able |Cannot come to conclusions in regards to | | |to predict behaviors. Relationships can be |cause-and-effect relationships. | | |clear to researchers like they are not in | | | |other methods. | |Experimental Research |Gives the researchers the opportunities to |Being in the lab may make the participants| | |draw conclusions to the cause-and-effect |act in a certain manner. Unexpected or | | |relationships. |uncontrolled variables may produce results| | | |that cannot be controlled or manipulated. | | | | Make your recommendation to the psychologist and explain the rationale behind your choice. Your response should be 100-200 words. After going over the information that I had over the five different types of research methods, I have come to the conclusion that correlational research should be the method used for your study of pathological liars.

This is the one method that can look very well at the connection between two or more variables. This could be a very useful advantage to have in this study. Of course, you could use any of the five methods, but I would definitely stay away from the survey option, because of the obvious reasons of the question of the ability to answer questions honestly.
The experimental research may not be the best choice, because the laboratory setting has had a history of affecting the behavior of the subject. Case studies are effective, but are very time consuming and use a large portion of funding on your part. Naturalistic observation would not be a bad choice either, because of the ability to observe the subjects in their natural environment. However, the presence of the observer could alter the behaviors, yet again.